Israel awaits US green light for potential strike on Iran's missiles: KAN

2026-02-18 - 22:12

Israel is preparing for the possibility that Washington may authorize Israeli military action against Iran's ballistic missile systems, Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported late Wednesday. The report comes as Israeli security assessments over the past 24 hours indicate a rising likelihood of US-led or US-backed strikes on Iranian targets following the latest round of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Geneva. Timing and Strategic Calculus The broadcaster noted that Israeli planning for strikes on Iranian ballistic missiles coincides with intense speculation about whether President Donald Trump will order military action against Iran. Israeli daily Haaretz reported that security establishment assessments point to increased probability of American attack in the wake of Tuesday's talks, which both sides described as constructive but which left key differences unresolved over what the US terms Trump administration "red lines." Diplomatic Context and Military Preparations The reported Israeli preparations follow a second round of Omani-mediated indirect negotiations between US and Iranian officials, with Vice President JD Vance acknowledging Tehran remains unwilling to engage on certain US demands. The talks occurred amid significant American military buildup in the region, including deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and additional fighter jets, with the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier en route. Washington has maintained that diplomacy remains Trump's "first option" while refusing to rule out military action should negotiations fail to produce an acceptable agreement. Regional Implications Any Israeli strike on Iranian ballistic missile systems, whether coordinated with or independently launched following US approval, would represent a significant escalation in the long-running shadow conflict between Jerusalem and Tehran. Iran has repeatedly warned it would respond forcefully to any attack on its territory or nuclear facilities. The reported preparations underscore the high stakes as the window for diplomacy narrows, with both Washington and Jerusalem signaling readiness to use military options if negotiations fail to curb what they describe as Iran's destabilizing regional activities and missile proliferation.